Molding method and mold therefor

ABSTRACT

Molding methods and molds for making a synthetic resin molded product include disposing a curable liquid resin mixture in a recess of a female mold. The curable liquid resin mixture is then simultaneously agitated and degassed by a mixer while under a partial vacuum. More specifically, at least the female mold is orbited around an orbital axis while being rotated about a rotational axis that is eccentric to the orbital axis. After being thoroughly mixed and degassed, the liquid mixture is then cured in the mold unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationNo. 61/325,976 filed on Apr. 20, 2010, the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to methods and molds for molding a synthetic resinproduct from a liquid mixture using a mold unit having a female mold anda male mold, which define a molding cavity therebetween when closelyengaged with each other.

BACKGROUND ART

There is a long-felt need in the art for molding methods and moldscapable of manufacturing high-precision products (e.g., mechanicalparts, electric parts, electronic parts, or the like). The liquidmixture used for molding can be a mixture of different liquid materials,i.e., a liquid mixture, and these liquid mixtures may includehigh-viscosity liquid materials.

However, when a molding method is performed using a mixture ofhigh-viscosity liquid materials, an undesirable possibility exists thatminute air bubbles will be trapped in the liquid mixture during theprocess of mixing and agitating the liquid materials, especially in casethe liquid materials are mixed and agitated without any special care.

Further, an additional possibility exists that high-viscosity liquidmaterials will trap ambient air while being injected into a mold, andthe trapped air will end up as air bubbles entrained in the moldedmaterial. Still further, when the molding is performed usinghigh-viscosity liquid materials, the inner surface of a mold (that mayhave, e.g., very small gaps, undercuts, or the like) may not becompletely filled and covered with the liquid mixture (i.e., the liquidmixture does not reach all portions of the entire inner surface of themold), which may undesirably lead to surface imperfections on the finalmolded product.

It is possible to perform the degassing of the mixed material prior toinjecting the mixed liquid material into the mold. However, when atleast one of liquid components has a high viscosity, air bubbles canbecome undesirably entrained in the liquid mixture if the liquid mixtureis degassed without any special care.

In any event, if air bubbles are contained in the liquid mixture in themold or if the inner surface of the mold is not completely filled withthe liquid mixture, then the final molded product will have defects.That is, the molded product will contain air bubbles (i.e., voids)within the interior of the final molded product or on the surfacethereof.

For these reasons, there has been the need in the art to agitate theliquid mixture while effectively degassing the liquid mixture. One knowntechnique comprises using a mixer to agitate and degas the liquidmixture by placing the liquid mixture in a container and thensimultaneously rotating and orbiting the container under a vacuum (forexample, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-104404).

SUMMARY

The agitating/degassing technique disclosed in JP H11-104404 may allowthe liquid mixture to be effectively degassed before the liquid mixtureis injected into a mold for molding, without any bubbles being entrainedin the liquid mixture.

However, an undesirable possibility still exists that, when the liquidmixture is being injected into the mold for molding after it has beenagitated/degassed, the liquid mixture will trap ambient air, and thetrapped air will form air bubbles in the liquid mixture held in themold. In addition or in the alternative, the molding process couldundesirably proceed with the inner surface of the mold not completelyfilled and coated with the liquid mixture.

For these reasons, the above-described known technique does notadequately eliminate or minimize the risk that the final molded productwill contain air bubbles within the interior of the product or on thesurface thereof.

Therefore, in one aspect of the present teachings, a method of molding asynthetic resin product from a liquid mixture using a mold unit having aselectively engageable female mold and a male mold is disclosed. Incertain aspects of the present teachings, the final product may bemolded with greater ease, without air bubbles being trapped in the finalproduct, and/or without damage to portions of the surface of the finalproduct.

According to another aspect of the present teachings, a method isprovided for molding a synthetic resin product from a liquid mixtureusing a mold unit. The mold unit preferably includes a female mold and amale mold, which are closely engaged with each other in a selectivemanner to define a cavity having a desired shape, and are disengagedfrom each other. The method preferably comprises:

filling the cavity with the liquid mixture;

simultaneously agitating and degassing the liquid mixture within thecavity by disposing at least the female mold of the mold unit in a mixerwhile the cavity is filled with the liquid mixture, and by orbiting atleast the female mold under a vacuum around an orbital axis whilerotating at least the female mold about a rotational axis that iseccentric to the orbital axis; and

curing the liquid mixture in the mold unit.

Advantageous objects and effects, such as noted above, may be achievedaccording to any one of the following modes of the present teachings.These modes will now be summarized and each mode will be given a number.One mode may depend from and include all steps of a preceding mode, asindicated. This organization is intended to facilitate a betterunderstanding of at least some of the plurality of technical featuresand the plurality of combinations thereof disclosed in thisspecification, and is not intended to imply that the scope of thesefeatures and combinations should be interpreted to limit the scope ofthe following modes of the present teachings. That is to say, it shouldbe understood that the technical features, which are stated in thisspecification but which are not stated in the following modes, may alsobe selected as technical features of a claimed invention.

Furthermore, although some of the selected modes will be recited in adependent form so as to depend from the other mode(s), it does notexclude the possibility that technical features currently recited in thedependent-form mode may become independent of those in the correspondingdependent mode(s) and/or may be removed therefrom. It should beunderstood that the technical features in the dependent-form mode(s) maybecome independent according to the nature of the correspondingtechnical features, where appropriate.

(1) A method of molding a synthetic resin product from a liquid mixtureusing a mold unit having a female mold and a male mold, which areclosely engaged with each other in a selective manner to define a cavityhaving a desired shape, and are disengaged from each other, the methodcomprising:

filling the cavity with the liquid mixture;

simultaneously agitating and degassing the liquid mixture within thecavity, by disposing at least the female mold of the mold unit, with thecavity filled with the liquid mixture, in a mixer, and by orbiting atleast the female mold under a vacuum around an orbital axis whilerotating at least the female mold about a rotational axis that iseccentric to the orbital axis; and

curing the liquid mixture in the mold unit.

According this molding method, at least the female mold of the mold unitcan be orbited around the orbital axis under a vacuum, while the cavityis filled with the liquid mixture, while also being rotated about therotational axis that is eccentric to the orbital axis. As a result, theliquid mixture is simultaneously agitated and degassed within the cavityof the mold unit in an effective manner.

Further, according to this molding method, at least the female mold issubjected to the combined motion (planetary motion) of the rotation andthe orbiting by the mixer while the cavity is filled with the liquidmixture, to thereby facilitate the filling or coating of the entiresurface of at least the female mold with the liquid mixture.

For these reasons, according to this molding method, it is easier tomold a final product without air bubbles being trapped in the finalproduct or without damage to portions of the surface of the finalproduct.

(2) The molding method according to mode (1), wherein the curingincludes heating the entire mold unit, to thereby cure the liquidmixture within the cavity.

(3) The molding method according to mode (1) or (2), wherein the fillingis performed when the female mold is not closely engaged with the malemold, to fill the female mold with the liquid mixture,

the agitating/degassing includes:

a primary or preliminary agitating/degassing sub-step of: disposing thefemale mold, which has been filled with the liquid mixture in thefilling step, in the mixer with the female mold not closely engaged withthe male mold, and orbiting the entire female mold around the orbitalaxis under a vacuum using the mixer while rotating the entire femalemold about the rotational axis, to thereby simultaneously agitate anddegas the liquid mixture within the female mold;

after performing the primary/preliminary agitating/degassing sub-step,performing an assembling sub-step of attaching the male mold to thefemale mold, to thereby assemble the mold unit; and

a main or subsequent agitating/degassing sub-step of simultaneouslyorbiting and rotating the entire assembled mold unit using the mixer, tothereby repeat the simultaneous agitating and degassing of the liquidmixture within the cavity in the mold unit.

According to the molding method of this aspect of the present teachings,prior to agitating/degassing the liquid mixture using the mixer with thefemale mold closely engaged with the male mold in the mold unit, theliquid mixture within the female mold is first agitated/degassed by thesame mixer as the above-mentioned mixer or by a separate one. When thefemale mold is not in close engagement with the male mold, the materialcontained therein has a higher fluidity because the liquid mixture has alarger space in which it can flow than when the female mold is in closeengagement with the male mold. As a result, the liquid mixture can bemore efficiently and effectively agitated/degassed when the liquidmixture is agitated/degassed with the female mold not closely engagedwith the male mold.

Therefore, according to this aspect of the present teachings, the liquidmixture can be agitate/degassed with higher efficiency than if theprimary/preliminary agitating/degassing were to be omitted.

Incidentally, because the female mold forms the exterior surface of amolded product, it is possible that the exterior surface of a finalmolded product will have defects if the female mold is not adequatelyfilled, coated or covered with the liquid mixture prior to thecuring/hardening of the liquid mixture.

However, according to the molding method according to this aspect, theliquid mixture can be agitated within the female mold, not only by themain/subsequent agitating/degassing, but also by the primary/preliminaryagitating/degassing that precedes the main agitating/degassing, tothereby facilitate an adequate filling, coating or covering of theentire surface of the female mold with the liquid mixture. As a result,the possibility is eliminated or at least substantially minimized thatan inadequate filling of the female mold with the liquid mixture willcause defects to the exterior surface of the final molded product.

(4) The molding method according to mode (1) or (2), wherein theagitating/degassing includes:

performing an assembling sub-step of attaching the male mold to thefemale mold, which has been filled with the liquid mixture in thefilling step, such that the male mold and the female mold are spacedapart from each other while being movable towards each other, to therebyassemble the mold unit;

disposing the assembled mold unit in the mixer;

performing a preventing sub-step of preventing the centrifugal forcegenerated by the orbiting motion from forcing (allowing) the female moldand the male mold to move towards each other, which would bring the malemold into close engagement with the female mold, during a mold-closingprevention period that starts when the mixer initiates operation, andduring which the male mold and the female mold are prevented from beingbrought into close engagement with each other;

performing a first agitating/degassing sub-step of agitating anddegassing the liquid mixture within the female mold using the mixerduring the mold-closing prevention period while the male mold is spacedapart from the female mold;

performing a permitting sub-step of permitting the centrifugal forcegenerated by the orbiting to force (allow) the female mold and the malemold to move towards each other, thereby bringing the male mold intoclose engagement with the female mold, during a mold-closing permissionperiod that follows the mold-closing prevention period, while the mixeris operating, and during which the male mold and the female mold arepermitted to be brought into close engagement with each other; and

performing a subsequent agitating/degassing sub-step of agitating anddegassing the liquid mixture within the cavity of the mold unit usingthe mixer during the mold-closing permission period, while the male moldis in close engagement with the female mold.

According to the molding method of this aspect of the present teachings,it is possible for first and second stages to be performed during acontinuous period in which a composite motion of rotation and orbitingis imparted to the mold unit using the mixer. In the first stage, theliquid mixture exhibits a high fluidity, because it is beingagitated/degassed within the female mold that is not in close engagementwith the male mold. In the second stage, the liquid mixture isagitated/degassed within the female mold that is in close engagementwith the male mold. Thus, during the first stage, only the female moldis filled with the liquid mixture while the agitating/degassing of theliquid mixture is performed, whereas in the second stage the female moldand the male mold are filled with the liquid mixture while theagitating/degassing of the liquid mixture is performed.

Therefore, according to the molding method of this aspect, the mixer isnot required to be operated in two discontinuous periods for theagitating/degassing of the liquid mixture and the filling with theliquid mixture, resulting in an improved efficiency in the moldingoperation.

(5) The molding method according to mode (4), wherein the female moldand the male mold are supported so as to be movable relative to eachother in the direction of a common axis, and so as to be rotatablerelative to each other about the axis, in order to perform theprevention sub-step and the permission sub-step,

the mold unit is configured in order to perform the prevention sub-stepand the permission sub-step so as to include:

a first member that moves integrally with the male mold; and

a second member that moves integrally with the female mold,

the first and second members are rotatable and axially movable relativeto each other, and have a closest relative axial-position to each otherthat varies between a prevention position, in which the male mold isprevented from being brought into close engagement with the female mold,and a permission position, in which the male mold is permitted to bebrought into close engagement with the female mold, depending on therelative rotational-position of the first and second members,

the relative rotational-position of the first and second members variesdepending on an inertial force acting on the male mold in the rotationaldirection of the male mold as a function of acceleration or decelerationof the rotation, and

the relative axial-position of the first and second members variesdepending on an axial centrifugal-force acting on the male mold as afunction of an orbiting speed.

(6) The molding method according to mode (4), wherein the female moldand the male mold are supported so as to be movable relative to eachother in the direction of a common axis, and so as to be rotatablerelative to each other about the axis, in order to perform theprevention sub-step and the permission sub-step,

the mold unit is configured in order to perform the prevention sub-stepand the permission sub-step so as to include:

a first member that moves integrally with the male mold; and

a second member that moves integrally with the female mold,

the first and second members are rotatable and axially movable relativeto each other, and have a closest relative axial-position to each otherthat varies between a prevention position, in which the male mold isprevented from being brought into close engagement with the female mold,and a permission position, in which the male mold is permitted to bebrought into close engagement with the female mold, depending on therelative rotational-position of the first and second members,

the mold unit further includes:

a movable member that is movable in the direction of an axis and isrotatable about the axis relative to the female mold;

an elastic member exerting an elastic force onto the movable member inan opposite direction to the direction in which a first axialcentrifugal-force acts on the movable member as a function of anorbiting speed, wherein when it moves in the opposite direction it movesaway from the female mold; and

an engagement portion that moves integrally with the movable member,which is selectively engaged with a predetermined at least one of thefirst and second members,

wherein a relative axial-position of the movable member and the femalemold varies depending on an axial resultant-force of the first axiscentrifugal-force and the elastic force,

a relative rotational-position of the movable member of the female moldvaries depending on a rotational force, which is a partial forcegenerated by decomposing the axial resultant force using a first slantedsurface formed on at least one of the second member and the movablemember,

a relative rotational-position of the first and second members variesdepending on a rotational force, which is a partial force generated bydecomposing a second axial centrifugal-force using a second slantedsurface formed on at least one of the first and second members, thesecond axial centrifugal-force acting on the first member and the malemold as a function of the orbiting speed, and

a relative axial-position of the first and second members variesdepending on a behavior of the engagement portion and the second axialcentrifugal-force.

(7) A mold unit comprising:

a female mold and a male mold, which are closely engagable with eachother in a selective manner to define a cavity having a desired shape,and are disengagable from each other, wherein the female and male moldsare supported so as to be movable relative to each other in thedirection of a common axis, and so as to be rotatable relative to eachother about the axis;

a first member that moves integrally with the male mold; and

a second member that moves integrally with the female mold,

wherein the first and second members are rotatably and axially movablerelative to each other, and have a closest relative axial-position toeach other that varies between a prevention position, in which the malemold is prevented from being brought into close engagement with thefemale mold, and a permission position, in which the male mold ispermitted to be brought into close engagement with the female mold,depending on a relative rotational-position of the first and secondmembers,

the relative rotational-position of the first and second members variesdepending on an inertial force acting on the male mold in the rotationaldirection of the male mold as a function of acceleration or decelerationof the rotation, and

the relative axial-position of the first and second members variesdepending on an axial centrifugal-force acting on the male mold as afunction of an orbiting speed,

to thereby allow the male mold to selectively take positions, in whichthe male mold is selectively prevented from being brought into closeengagement with the female mold and is permitted to be brought intoclose engagement with the female mold.

(8) A mold unit comprising:

a female mold and a male mold, which are closely engagable with eachother in a selective manner to define a cavity having a desired shape,and are disengagable from each other, wherein the female and male moldsare supported so as to be movable relative to each other in a directionof a common axis, and so as to be rotatable relative to each other aboutthe axis;

a first member that moves integrally with the male mold; and

a second member that moves integrally with the female mold,

wherein the first and second members are rotatably and axially movablerelative to each other, and have a closest relative axial-position toeach other that varies between a prevention position, in which the malemold is prevented from being brought into close engagement with thefemale mold, and a permission position, in which the male mold ispermitted to be brought into close engagement with the female mold,depending on a relative rotational-position of the first and secondmembers,

the mold unit further includes:

a movable member that is movable in a direction of an axis and isrotatable about the axis relative to the female mold;

an elastic member exerting an elastic force onto the movable member inan opposite direction to a direction in which a first axialcentrifugal-force acts on the movable member as a function of anorbiting speed, wherein, as it moves in the opposite direction, it movesaway from the female mold; and

an engagement portion that moves integrally with the movable member, andwhich is selectively engaged with a predetermined at least one of thefirst and second members,

a relative axial-position of the movable member and the female moldvaries depending on an axial resultant-force of the first axiscentrifugal-force and the elastic force,

a relative rotational-position of the movable member of the female moldvaries depending on a rotational force, which is a partial forcegenerated by decomposing the axial resultant force using a first slantedsurface formed on at least one of the second member and the movablemember,

a relative rotational-position of the first and second members variesdepending on a rotational force, which is a partial force generated bydecomposing a second axial centrifugal-force using a second slantedsurface formed in at least one of the first and second members, thesecond axial centrifugal-force acting on the first member and the malemold as a function of an orbiting speed, and

a relative axial-position of the first and second members variesdepending on a behavior of the engagement portion and the second axialcentrifugal-force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a cap to be molded by a capmolding method according to a first embodiment of the present teachings,along with the intended application of the cap after molding.

FIG. 2 is a process flowchart illustrating the details of the capmolding method, inclusive of additional steps to be performed subsequentto the cap molding method.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the cap moldingmethod depicted in FIG. 2 in a time series, and FIG. 3B is a perspectiveview illustrating another portion of the cap molding method in a timeseries.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a container and a pusher.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the mixer depicted in FIG.3.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view illustrating the mold unit depicted inFIG. 3 in a mold open position, and FIG. 6B is a perspective viewillustrating the mold unit depicted in a mold closed position.

FIG. 7 is a cutaway cross-sectional view illustrating the mold unitdepicted in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8A is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the cap moldingmethod depicted in FIG. 2 in a time series, and FIG. 8B is a perspectiveview illustrating another portion of the cap molding method in a timeseries.

FIG. 9 is a process flowchart listing representative steps of thesealing method and the cap attaching method depicted in FIG. 2.

FIG. 10A is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the sealingmethod depicted in FIG. 9 in a time series, FIG. 10B is a perspectiveview illustrating another portion of the sealing method in a timeseries, and FIG. 10C is a perspective view illustrating still anotherportion of the sealing method in a time series.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the sealingmethod depicted in FIG. 9 in a time series, and FIG. 11B is aperspective view illustrating another portion of the sealing method in atime series.

FIG. 12A is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the capattaching method depicted in FIG. 9 in a time series, and FIG. 12B is aperspective view illustrating another portion of the cap attachingmethod in a time series.

FIG. 13 is a graph for conceptually explaining the speed control for themixer depicted in FIG. 3.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of a cap moldingmethod according to a second embodiment of the present teachings in atime series, which second embodiment differs from the first embodiment.

FIG. 15A is an exploded and cross-sectional view illustrating a moldunit for use in performing a cap molding method according to a thirdembodiment of the present teachings, and FIG. 15B is a cross-sectionalview illustrating the mold unit when assembled.

FIG. 16 is a side view for explaining the composite motion of therotation and the orbiting imparted to the mold unit depicted in FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a plan view, a cross-sectional view and an enlarged cutawayview for explaining the principles of the relative motion between thefemale mold and the male mold of the mold unit depicted in FIG. 15.

FIG. 18 is another plan view, another cross-sectional view and anotherenlarged cutaway view for explaining the principles of the relativemotion between the female mold and the male mold of the mold unitdepicted in FIG. 15.

FIG. 19 is still another plan view, still another cross-sectional viewand still another enlarged cutaway view for explaining the principles ofthe relative motion between the female mold and the male mold of themold unit depicted in FIG. 15.

FIG. 20A is an exemplary speed/time chart for explaining the speedimparted to the mold unit by the mixer in order to generate the relativemotion between the female mold and the male mold of the mold unitdepicted in FIGS. 17-19, and FIG. 20B is another exemplary speed/timechart of another embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a process flowchart illustrating an agitating/degassingprocess of the cap molding method according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 22A is a plan view illustrating a guide cup and a movable member ofa mold unit for use in performing a cap molding method according to afourth embodiment of the present teachings, FIG. 22B is a side sectionalview illustrating the guide cup and the movable member, and FIG. 22C isa front view illustrating a second guide groove of the mold unit.

FIG. 23 is an enlarged cutaway front view illustrating a first guidegroove and an engagement portion when a guide pin is located in positionA within the mold unit depicted in FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is an enlarged cutaway front view illustrating the first guidegroove and the engagement portion when the guide pin is located inposition B within the mold unit depicted in FIG. 22.

FIG. 25 is an enlarged cutaway front view illustrating the first guidegroove and the engagement portion when the guide pin is located inposition C within the mold unit depicted in FIG. 22.

FIG. 26 is an enlarged cutaway front view illustrating the first guidegroove and the engagement portion when the guide pin is located inposition D within the mold unit depicted in FIG. 22.

FIG. 27A is an exemplary speed/time chart for explaining the orbitingspeed imparted to the mold unit depicted in FIG. 22, and FIG. 27B isanother exemplary of the speed/time chart.

FIG. 28 is still another exemplary speed/time chart for explaining theorbiting speed imparted to the mold unit depicted in FIG. 22.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Some presently-preferred embodiments of the invention will be describedin the following in more detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates in a perspective view a cap 10 as a molded product tobe molded using the cap molding method according to a first embodimentof the present teachings.

The cap 10 is made of synthetic resin and includes a shell 12 that formsa generally hemispherical, hollow shape. The shell 12 includes an outersurface and an inner surface, which both form a generally hemisphericalshape, thereby defining a recess (hollow portion) 14, which forms agenerally hemispherical shape, within the shell 12.

The cap 10 will be attached to a fastener, with which a fastened memberis fastened, for the purpose of enclosing or covering an outside surfaceof at least a portion of the fastener, to thereby protect at least aportion of the fastener that would otherwise be exposed.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the fastened member is a panelmember 20 made of synthetic resin, and the fastener is a bolt(alternatively, a screw, a nut or a rivet) 22, with which the panelmember 20 is fastened. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the cap 10is attached to the bolt 22 in order to cover the outside surface of theexposed portion of the bolt 22 that projects from the surface of thepanel member 20.

In addition, when attached to the bolt 22, the cap 10 provides asubstantially air-tight seal with the bolt 22. For providing the seal,the cap 10 is filled with a sealant prior to the attachment, and thesealant brings the cap 10 and the bolt 22 into air-tight contact witheach other. The air-tight contact prevents ingress of foreign matter(i.e., gases, liquids or solids) between the cap 10 and the portion ofthe bolt 22 that is enclosed by the cap 10. The adhesion and/orair-tightness of the sealant prevent undesired removal of the cap 10from the bolt 22.

The sealant is made of a synthetic resin which, in the presentembodiment, is the same as that of the cap 10. Although the reason willbe explained in further detail below, the commonly-used material formaking the sealant and the cap 10 is a high-viscosity material andexhibits thermosetting properties, such that the liquid mixture cureswhen heated above a prescribed temperature (e.g., 50° C.), and oncecured, the original properties of the liquid mixture will not berestored even if the temperature decreases. In addition, the liquidmixture also exhibits the property that, when the liquid mixture iscooled below a prescribed temperature (e.g., −20° C.) prior to curingand is thus frozen, the chemical reaction (curing) in the liquid mixturestops, and thereafter, when the liquid mixture is heated and thawed, thechemical reaction (curing) in the liquid mixture restarts.

In the present embodiment, the liquid mixture that may be used in boththe sealant and the cap 10 is a two-part type that is prepared by mixingtwo solutions, i.e., “Solution A” (curing agent) and “Solution B” (majorcomponent). A representative, non-limiting example of “Solution A” isPR-1776 B-2, Part A (i.e., an accelerator component that is a manganesedioxide dispersion) sold by PRC-DeSoto International, U.S.A.; arepresentative, non-limiting example of “Solution B,” which is combinedwith Solution A, is PR-1776 B-2, Part B (i.e., a base component that isa filled modified polysulfide resin) also sold by PRC-DeSotoInternational, U.S.A.

In FIG. 2 the cap molding method according to the present embodiment isillustrated in a process flowchart. This method is performed at thelocation for manufacturing the cap 10. Although this method will befurther described below, after the cap 10 has been molded using thismethod, a filling process is performed to fill the recess 14 of the cap10 with the sealant prior to shipping the thus-molded cap 10, e.g., tothe customer (i.e. prior to transporting the cap 10 to a worksite wherethe cap 10 will be attached to the bolt 22).

Subsequently, a cap attaching process is performed at the worksite,wherein the cap 10 is filled with the sealant at the worksite and thecap 10 is attached to the bolt 22. In an alternative described infurther detail below, the sealant may instead be filled into the cap 10prior to shipping to the worksite.

The cap molding method according to the present embodiment will now bedescribed in further detail with reference to FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, this method begins at the manufacturinglocation of the cap 10 with step S1 in which, as illustrated in FIG. 3A,the aforementioned Solutions A and B are dispensed into a container 30in a predetermined mixing ratio (e.g., 1:10). These two solutions aremixed in the container 10, resulting in a liquid mixture that is anexemplary material for molding the cap 10 in the present embodiment, andis also an exemplary material, from which the sealant is made.

FIG. 4 illustrates the container 30 in a vertical cross-sectional view.The container 30 is configured to include an axially-extending hollowcase 32, and a chamber 34 formed within the case 32 in the shape of acoaxially-formed hollow cylinder having one end closed. The bottomsection of the chamber 34 has a recess that forms a generallyhemispherical shape. By having a bottom section with a recess that formsa hemispherical-shape, the liquid mixture in the chamber 34 can flowmore smoothly than if the bottom section were to be flat, therebyimproving the mixing efficiency of the liquid mixture.

A discharge passage 36 is formed in the bottom section of the chamber 34for discharging the liquid mixture (i.e., the mixture of Solutions A andB), which has been dispensed into the chamber 34, after completing theagitating/degassing of the liquid mixture, and the discharge passage 36is closed with a detachable plug (not shown) in a selective manner. Thedispensing of the liquid mixture into the container 30 is performedwhile the discharge passage 36 is closed or sealed by the plug.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the container 30 containing the liquid mixtureis then subjected in step S2 to a planetary motion (i.e., the compositemotion of the rotation and the orbiting) as is illustrated in FIG. 3, tothereby agitate (mix) the liquid mixture while degassing it. In thepresent embodiment, the rotational axis of the container 30 is tiltedrelative to the orbital axis of the container 30.

A mixer 40 is used for performing the agitating/degassing process instep S2. The mixer 40 imparts a centrifugal force to the liquid mixtureunder vacuum, to thereby agitate the liquid mixture while degassing it.The agitating/degassing process is performed at a predeterminedtemperature (e.g., about 20° C. to about 30° C.) and at a predeterminedhumidity (e.g., 50% RH), which conditions depend upon thecuring/hardening properties of the liquid mixture. These same conditionsmay also be used in the following steps. In step S2, the container 30 issubjected to a relatively weak (closer to atmospheric pressure) vacuumpressure (e.g., 40 kPa).

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of the mixer 40 in a partialcross-sectional side view.

The mixer 40 includes a housing 42 having a hollow structure with abottom (e.g., a hollow cylinder shape) and a lid (not shown) detachablyattached to an opening end of the housing 42, so that it has an openingend that is closable or sealable in a substantially air-tight manner.Within the housing 42, a base frame 44 that is elastically suspended onthe housing 42 is disposed so as to absorb possible vibrations.

A motor 50 is mounted on the base frame 44. A rotatable frame 54 havinga hollow cylinder shape is coupled to the motor 50. The rotatable frame54 is rotated about the orbital axis by the motor 50.

The rotational axis is defined in the rotatable frame 54 at a positioneccentric to the orbital axis, and in an orientation in which therotational axis is inclined relative to the orbital axis (e.g., at 45degrees). The rotational axis is rotated together with the rotatableframe 54.

The container holder 56 is mounted on the rotatable frame 54 so as to becoaxial with the rotational axis and so as to be rotatable about therotational axis. The container holder 56 is used to hold the container30, or to hold a mold unit as will be described below. The containerholder 56 is rotated about the rotational axis by the motor 50.

In the present embodiment, the motor 50 is directly coupled to therotatable frame 54, while the motor 50 is indirectly coupled to thecontainer holder 56 via a power transmission system 60 (e.g., a beltdriven system, a chain driven system, a gear driven system, etc.).

In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, the power transmission system 60includes: a first rotatable shaft 62 rotated by the motor 50, a firstpulley 64 (a pulley is an example of a rotor) that is coaxially affixedto the first rotatable shaft 62, and a second rotatable shaft 66. Thesecond rotatable shaft 66 is rotatably mounted on the base frame 44 soas to be positioned eccentric to and oriented parallel to the firstrotatable shaft 62.

The power transmission system 60 further includes a second pulley 68 anda third pulley 70, which are coaxially affixed to the second rotatableshaft 66, and a rotor 74. The rotor 74 is coaxially attached to thefirst rotatable shaft 62 via a bearing 72, so as to be rotatablerelative to the first rotatable shaft 62. A first belt 76 (a belt is anexample of an endless transmission) is wound around the first pulley 64and the second pulley 68. A fourth pulley 80 and a fifth pulley 82 areintegrally formed on the rotor 74. A second belt 84 is wound around thethird pulley 70 and the fourth pulley 80.

The power transmission system 60 still further includes a thirdrotatable shaft 86 that is positioned eccentric to and oriented parallelto the orbital axis. The third rotatable shaft 86 revolves together withthe rotatable frame 54, while being rotated relative to the rotatableframe 54 via the bearing 87. The power transmission system 60 stillfurther includes a sixth pulley 88 and a seventh pulley 89, each ofwhich is coaxially affixed to the third rotatable shaft 86, and a thirdbelt 90 that is wound around the fifth pulley 82 and the sixth pulley88.

The power transmission system 60 further includes: an eighth pulley 91that is rotated coaxially and integrally with the container holder 56, afourth belt 92 that is wound around the eighth pulley 91 and the seventhpulley 89, and a pair of guide pulleys 93 (in a plan view) that guide(re-direct) a pair of straight portions (in a plan view) of the fourthbelt 92 so as to bend the pair of straight portions.

In the present embodiment, the orbiting and the rotation of thecontainer holder 56 are produced by the common motor 50; the orbitingand rotation of the container holder 56 kinetically depend on eachother. Further, in the present embodiment, the ratio between theorbiting speed and the rotational speed of the container holder 56 isfixed.

In an exemplary modified version of the mixer 40, while the orbiting andthe rotation of the container holder 56 are produced by the common motor50, a clutch or a CVT (Continuous Velocity Transmission) may be utilizedto allow the ratio between the orbiting speed and the rotational speedto vary. In another exemplary modified version, the orbiting and therotation of the container holder 56 are produced by separate motors,respectively, to thereby allow the orbiting speed and the rotationalspeed of the container holder 56 to be independent of each other and tobe pre-set separately.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the mixer 40 is configured to further includea brake 94, a console panel 95 and a controller 96.

The brake 94 is configured and disposed so as to rapidly decelerate atleast the rotational speed (from among the rotational speed and theorbiting speed) of the container holder 56. Although not limitedthereto, the brake 94 of the present embodiment may be configured toenable an external force to be exerted onto a movable component (e.g.,the rotatable frame 54) by friction, wherein the movable componentrotates or linearly moves with the container holder 56.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the example of the brake 94 includes aring-shaped band 94 a attached to an outer circumferential surface ofthe rotatable frame 54, and a movable pad 94 b rigidly affixed to thehousing 42 at at least one position that opposes the band 94 a (in theexample illustrated in FIG. 5, at two positions that are diametricallyopposite of each other).

The brake 94 further includes a displacement mechanism 94 c configuredto displace the movable pad 94 b from the illustrated retractedposition, at which retracted position the movable pad 94 b is radiallyspaced from the band 94 a, to an active position, at which activeposition the movable pad 94 b contacts the band 94 a and generatesfriction between the movable pad 94 b and the band 94 a, and vice versa.The displacement mechanism 94 c may be manually operated orautomatically operated. For the displacement mechanism 94 c to beautomatically operated, the displacement mechanism 94 c may beelectrically connected with the controller 96, and an actuator (notshown) built in the displacement mechanism 94 c is electricallycontrolled by the controller 96.

In the present embodiment, when the rotatable frame 54 is decelerated bythe brake 94, the motor 50 is correspondingly decelerated. In responseto the deceleration of the motor 50, the container holder 56 will alsobe decelerated. As a result, the brake 94 decelerates the containerholder 56 in both of the rotational and orbital directions.

The console panel 95 is operated by the user to start/stop the mixer 40and to pre-set a rotation/orbiting speed profile for controllingcombined motion to be imparted to the container holder 56.

The controller 96 is electrically connected with the console panel 95and the motor 50. The controller 96 principally comprises a computer 97;as is well-known, the computer 97 includes at least one processor 97 aand storage (memory) 97 b.

In response to a user's start command, the controller 96 causes the atleast one processor 97 a to execute one or more programs (not shown)stored in the storage 97 b. As a result, the motor 50 is controlled toexecute the pre-set rotational/orbiting speed profile (e.g., the profileshown by the graph in FIG. 13).

More specifically, the controller 96 drives the motor 50 to change itsspeed using an inverter (not shown) for Variable Voltage VariableFrequency control, in accordance with the user's settings. The motor 50is controlled by the inverter control to execute a selected one of anacceleration mode (e.g., including a rapid acceleration mode, a gradualacceleration mode, etc.), a constant speed mode, and a decelerationmode, to thereby allow each of the rotational speed and the orbitingspeed of the container holder 56 to have a desired acceleration gradientand a desired deceleration gradient.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 13, the rotational speed and theorbiting speed of the container holder 56 vary with time, such that theyare different in magnitude, but are similar in profile. In analternative thereto, the rotational speed and the orbiting speed mayvary with time to implement respective speed profiles that are notsimilar.

As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the container 30 holding the liquid mixtureis placed into the container holder 56, and then the mixer 40 isactivated. In operation, the interior of the housing 42 of the mixer 40is set to a sub-atmospheric pressure (i.e. a negative pressure or apartial vacuum). A vacuum (suction) pump (not shown) is in fluidcommunication with the interior of the mixer 40 so as to draw or suctionout the air within the housing 42. Due to the fluid communicationbetween the interior of the container holder 56 and the interior of thehousing 42, the vacuum pump also suctions air from within the containerholder 56.

The liquid mixture is agitated due to the centrifugal force generated bythe planetary motion, which is produced by the mixer 40. Consequently,air bubbles trapped or entrained in the liquid mixture are released fromthe liquid mixture due to the synergistic effect of the centrifugalforce imparted by the mixer 40 and the negative pressure (partialvacuum) created by the suction pump, thereby resulting in the degassingof the liquid mixture.

After the agitating/degassing of the liquid mixture is finished, thecontainer 30 is removed from the mixer 40, as illustrated in FIG. 3A.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the liquid mixture is dispensed intosyringes 98 (i.e. smaller containers that divide the entire liquidmixture within the container 30 into smaller amounts) in step S3. Morespecifically, in step S3, the liquid mixture is discharged from thecontainer 30 in individual doses, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, eachdischarged individual dose of the liquid mixture being dispensed intoone syringe 98. Ultimately, the entire amount of the liquid mixturestored in the same container 30 is divided into a plurality of syringes98.

As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the syringe 98 has a hollow cylinder shapewith a tip end (e.g., a tapered end) having a smaller-diameter openingand a base end having a larger-diameter opening. The tip end is thesmaller-diameter end, while the base end is the larger-diameter end. Thesyringe 98 is used such that, after a prescribed amount of the liquidmixture is dispensed into the syringe 98, the prescribed amount ofmaterial is discharged from the tip end of the syringe 98 in aconventional manner, e.g., by using positive pressure or gravity.

In the present embodiment, a pusher 98 a is pushed into the chamber 34of the container 30 in order to forcibly discharge the liquid mixturefrom the container 30, as illustrated in FIG. 3B. The pusher 98 a has anexterior shape that is complementary to the interior shape of thechamber 34 (e.g., an exterior shape having a protrusion that forms agenerally hemispherical shape). As the pusher 98 a moves towards thedischarge passage 36 within the chamber 34, the liquid mixture isextruded/discharged from the discharge passage 36.

In the present embodiment, while transferring the liquid mixture fromthe container 30 to the syringe 98, the container 30 is held in space,as illustrated in FIG. 3B, with the chamber 34 facing upward and thedischarge passage 36 facing downward. In this orientation, the pusher 98a is moved downwardly within the chamber 34. As a result, the liquidmixture is downwardly extruded from the chamber 34.

Further, in the present embodiment, while transferring the liquidmixture from the container 30 to the syringe 98, the syringe 98 is heldin space with the base end facing upward and the top end facingdownward. In this orientation, the liquid mixture, which has beendownwardly extruded from the container 30, is injected (transferred)into the syringe 98 via its base end.

Thereafter, the liquid mixture moves downwardly within the syringe 98while displacing air within the syringe 98 and discharging the air fromthe opening of the tip end of the syringe 98. Because the tip end has asmaller diameter opening than the base end, the discharge of air will beimpeded due to the smaller flow-through cross-section. As a result ofthe transfer of liquid mixture into the syringe 98, the liquid mixturewill increasingly accumulate in the syringe 98, such that the uppermostlevel of the liquid mixture rises in the direction extending from thetip end towards the base end of the syringe 98.

In the present embodiment, step S3 is performed at atmospheric pressure;however, if it is alternatively performed at a sub-atmospheric pressure(i.e. a partial vacuum), then it becomes possible to more reliablyprevent air bubbles from being trapped in the liquid mixture while it isbeing dispensed into the syringe 98.

Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the liquid mixture is dispensedinto a cavity 110 of the mold unit 100 in step S4.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the mold unit 100 in a perspectiveview. The mold unit 100 includes a female mold 102 and a male mold 104that can be spaced or disposed relatively close to each other. In thepresent embodiment, the female mold 102 acts as a stationary molddefining a recess 110, while the male mold 104 acts as a movable moldhaving a protrusion that will be inserted into the recess 110 of thefemale mold 102. The female mold 102 imparts the desired shape to theexterior surface of the cap 10, while the male mold 104 imparts thedesired shape to the interior surface of the cap 10.

Both of the female mold 102 and the male mold 104 are made of asynthetic resin, e.g., a self-lubricating synthetic resin, morepreferably PTFE (Teflon®).

The female mold 102 and the male mold 104 have a common centerline,along which the male mold 104 is linearly movable relative to the femalemold 102. In the present embodiment, a plurality of parallel metal guiderods 112 are detachably affixed to the female mold 102 for achieving andguiding the linear movement. A plurality of through-holes are formed inthe male mold 104 in a complimentary manner, so that the guide rods 112can slidably fit into the through-holes.

FIG. 6A illustrates the female mold 102 and the male mold 104 in a firstposition (i.e., a mold open position) in which the male mold 104 isspaced from the female mold 102, which allows the liquid mixture to bedispensed into the recess 110 of the female mold 102. FIG. 6Billustrates the female mold 102 and the male mold 104 in a secondposition (i.e., a mold closed position) in which the male mold 104 isclosely engaged with the female mold 102, to thereby define a spacebetween the female and male molds 102 and 104, that is a cavity 111.This cavity 111 defines the final shape of the cap 10.

FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating the mold unit 100 in the mold closedposition. The mold unit 100 includes a case 114 having a hollow cylindershape, which receives the female mold 102 in its bottom end. The case114 has an exterior shape that fits into the container holder 56 of themixer 40 without any wasteful gaps and accommodates the case 114 in thecontainer holder 56 without any noticeable play during operation of themixer 40.

In step S4 illustrated in FIG. 2, the liquid mixture is extruded fromthe syringe 98 in order to dispense it into the recess 110 of the femalemold 102, as illustrated in FIG. 8A.

In addition, in step S4, the female mold 102 (with the guide rods 112removed from the female mold 102) is received in the container holder 56of the mixer 40, along with the case 114, as illustrated in FIG. 8A. Inthis state, the mixer 40 is operated with the female mold 102 disposedin a partial vacuum. As a result, the liquid mixture that has beendispensed into the recess 110 of the female mold 102 isagitated/degassed. The surface of the liquid mixture, with which thefemale mold 102 has been filled, is thereby flattened (i.e., smoothed).Thereafter, the female mold 102 is removed from the mixer 40 asillustrated in FIG. 8A.

In step S4, the container holder 56 is subjected to a stronger partialvacuum (e.g., 20 kPa) than in the above-described step S2.

Incidentally, the stronger the vacuum (negative pressure) on the liquidmixture, the better the degassing effect of the liquid mixture is.Moreover, the larger the volume of the liquid mixture, the greater thefluidity of the liquid mixture is; as a result of this property, theliquid mixture is easily heated by friction during theagitating/degassing of the liquid mixture under centrifugal force. Onthe other hand, the higher the temperature of the liquid mixture, themore easily the liquid mixture generates foam (air bubbles).Consequently, in an environment that easily generates foam, the strongerthe vacuum, the more foaming is promoted in the liquid mixture.

With this in mind, when the liquid mixture is agitated/degassed withinthe container 30 in step S2, the liquid mixture is more easily heatedbecause of its larger volume than that of the liquid mixture when it isagitated/degassed in step S4 within the female mold 102. As a result,the liquid mixture is more prone to generating foam (air bubble) in stepS2 than in step S4.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the agitating/degassing in step S2is performed at a weaker partial vacuum than that the partial vacuumapplied during the agitating/degassing in step S4. For the same reasons,the agitating/degassing in step S5 is performed at a stronger partialvacuum than the partial vacuum applied during the agitating/degassing instep S2. In addition, the agitating/degassing in step S5 is performed atthe same partial vacuum pressure as is applied during theagitating/degassing in step S4.

Subsequently, in step S5 depicted in FIG. 2, the cap 10 is manufacturedusing the mold unit 100 by rotational molding.

More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 8A, the guide rods 112 and themale mold 104 are attached to the female mold 102 that has been filledwith the agitated/degassed material, and the case 114 is attached tothese components. As a result, the mold unit 100 is assembled.Thereafter, in the mold open position, the mold unit 100 is entirelydisposed in the container holder 56 of the mixer 40 and the mixer 40 isactivated.

When the mixer 40 is activated, the male mold 104 is not closely engagedwith the female mold 102, so that the fluidity of the liquid mixturewithin the female mold 102 is not substantially obstructed by the malemold 104. During this period (when the male mold 104 is not close to thefemale mold 102), the liquid mixture is agitated/degassed efficiently.The agitating/degassing is also performed at a relatively strong partialvacuum (e.g., 20 kPa, as described above), i.e., at a lower pressurethan in step S2.

During the period in which the rotational speed and/or the orbitingspeed of the mixer 40 increase(s) up to a target value, the centrifugalforce generated by the planetary motion and applied to the male mold 104increases as the rotational speed and/or the orbiting speed increase(s);this results in a corresponding increase in the driving force for movingthe male mold 104 towards the female mold 102 along the guide rods 112.

When the driving force eventually overcomes the frictional resistancebetween the male mold 104 and the guide rods 112, the male mold 104 willmove towards the female mold 102 along the guide rods 112. Eventually,the male mold 104 is brought into contact with the female mold 102. Themixer 40 continues operating even after the contact, to thereby allowthe liquid mixture within the cavity 111 of the mold unit 100 to beagitated/degassed in the mold closed position as well. Theagitating/degassing is performed at a relatively strong partial vacuum(e.g., 20 kPa, as described above), similar to the above-describedprevious agitating/degassing.

In the present embodiment, the male mold 104 is prevented from beingbrought into contact with the female mold 102 during an initial periodof the molding process in order to maximize the fluidity of the liquidmixture in the female mold 102 during this time period, therebymaximizing the effect of the agitating/degassing. When a prescribedperiod of time has elapsed thereafter, the male mold 104 is then allowedor enabled to be brought into contact with the female mold 102.

Once the rotational molding using the mold unit 100 has been completed,the entire mold unit 100 is removed from the mixer 40. At this time, themold unit 100 is in the mold closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 8B.

Thereafter, the mold unit 100 is clamped in step S6 depicted in FIG. 2.More specifically, the female mold 102 and the male mold 104 are tightlyclosed and clamped using a clamping tool (not shown). This reliablyprevents the female mold 102 and the male mold 104 from detaching fromeach other in an undesirable manner in the subsequent heat-curing step.

Subsequently, in step S7 depicted in FIG. 2, a heat-curing process isperformed. More specifically, the entire mold unit 100 may be moved intoa high temperature room (e.g., between about 40° C. and about 60° C.,which depends upon the curing/hardening properties of the liquidmixture), to thereby heat-cure the liquid mixture within the cavity 111of the mold unit 100.

Thereafter, in step S8 depicted in FIG. 2, the male mold 104 is movedaway from the female mold 102 to allow the cap 10 to be removed from themold unit 100 as the completed product. That is, the mold unit 100 isdissembled.

Subsequently, in step S9 depicted in FIG. 2, the cap 10 is finished byremoving undesirable burrs, etc. With that, the manufacturing process ofthe cap 10 is completed.

It is noted that, in step S4 in the present embodiment, the female mold102 filled with the liquid mixture is subjected to the planetary motionby the mixer 40 as illustrated in FIG. 8A, to thereby agitate/degas theliquid mixture in the female mold 102; in the subsequent step S5, themold unit 100 filled with the liquid mixture is subjected to theplanetary motion by the mixer 40, to thereby agitate/degas the liquidmixture in the mold unit 100, which means that the agitating/degassingprocess using the mixer 40 is performed twice.

In an alternative, the present teachings may be practiced in a mode inwhich the performance of step S5 is omitted, i.e. steps S6 and S7 maydirectly follow upon completion of step S4. Only the agitating/degassingof the liquid mixture within the female mold 102 need be performed instep S4, in case an adequate agitating/degassing effect can be achievedthereby.

Thereafter, a sealant-filling method may be performed as illustrated inFIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, when the sealant-filling method will beperformed, the cap 10 is first loaded in step 11 as a completed productinto the cavity 110 of the female mold 102 as illustrated in FIG. 10A,so that the cap 10 is held in position with the opening of the recess 14facing upward, in preparation for filling with the sealant from above.

The use of the female mold 102 is not essential for holding the cap 10in position. Although an alternative tool can be used, in case thefemale mold 102 is used, it is not necessary to manufacture anexclusive-use jig for holding the cap 10 in position.

Thereafter, with the recess 14 of the cap 10 held in position, it isfilled with the sealant 118 as illustrated in FIG. 10A. The sealant 118is extruded from the syringe 98 and is injected into the recess 14. Inthe present embodiment, as described above, the liquid mixture thatforms the cap 10 and the sealant 118 that fills the recess 14 of the cap10 have the same composition.

Next, in step S12 depicted in FIG. 9, the sealant 118 isagitated/degassed using the mixer 40. More specifically, the female mold102 that has been filled with the sealant 118 is disposed in thecontainer holder 56 of the mixer 40 as illustrated in FIG. 10B, and inthis state, the mixer 40 is operated with the container holder 56 placedin a partial vacuum (e.g., at the same vacuum as steps S4 and S5). As aresult, the sealant 118, which fills the recess 14 of the cap 10, isagitated/degassed. At this time, flattening (smoothing) of the surfaceof the sealant 118, which fills the recess 14 of the cap 10, isperformed. Thereafter, the female mold 102 is removed from the mixer 40as illustrated in FIG. 10B.

Subsequently, in step S13 depicted in FIG. 9, the sealant 118 is frozentogether with the cap 10. More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 10C,the female mold 102 holding the cap 10 is placed within a freezer 120together with the case 114, and such that the cap 10 is filled with thesealant 118. The interior temperature of the freezer 120 is, e.g.,between about −50° C. and about −70° C. The freezing time is, e.g.,about 1 hour. Once the sealant 118 has been frozen (solidified orcoagulated), the female mold 102 is removed from the freezer 120.

Thereafter, in step S14 depicted in FIG. 9, a plurality of product kitsare manufactured. More specifically, the cap 10, which is filled withthe sealant 118, is removed from the female mold 102 as illustrated inFIG. 11A, and a plurality of caps 10, each of which has been produced inthe same manner as above and each of which has been filled with thefrozen sealant 118, are loaded into the plurality of recesses of apallet 122. As a result, the caps 10 are arrayed on one pallet 122, tothereby complete one product kit 124.

Subsequently, in step S15 depicted in FIG. 9, the entire product kit 124is placed into cold-storage. More specifically, as illustrated in FIG.11B, the product kit 124 is placed within a low-temperature room(although not shown, e.g., a constant temperature room between about−50° C. and −70° C., such as a cold room), to thereby prevent thesealant 118 within each cap 10 from unintentionally thawing duringstorage.

Thereafter, in step S16 depicted in FIG. 9, the caps 10, each of whichhas been filled with the sealant 118, are shipped to the worksite whilemaintaining the caps 10 in the frozen state, e.g., in the cold-storage.With that, the sealant-filling method is completed.

As a result, the manufacture of the caps 10, which serve as finalproducts, is completed. Each cap 10 is a combination of the cap 10,which served as an intermediate product, and the frozen sealant 118,with which each cap 10 is filled.

In other words, at this point in time, each cap 10 serving as a finalproduct is a multi-layered structure made of a solid outer layer (shell12) and a solid inner layer that is located within the outer layer,wherein the outer layer is made of a material, the original fluidity ofwhich cannot be restored even by subsequent thawing due to the curinghaving already been completed, and the inner layer is made of a material(sealant 118), the original fluidity of which can be restored bysubsequent thawing due to the fact that the curing was not previouslycompleted.

After the sealant-filling method has been completed in the mannerdescribed above, the cap attaching method, as illustrated in FIG. 9,does not start at the manufacturing location, but rather it starts atthe worksite.

More specifically, in step S21, the product kit 124 is first received atthe worksite. Next, in step S22, the received product kit 124 is placedinto cold-storage in a freezer (not shown).

Subsequently, in step S23, when it becomes necessary to initiate the capattaching process using the product kit 124, the product kit 124 isremoved from the freezer and thereafter, the product kit 124 is thawedin a thawing area (although not shown, e.g., a thawing (warm) room) asillustrated in FIG. 12A. The thawing process can be performed, forexample, at room temperature, by direct heating using a heater (e.g., ahot-air-type heater having a drying function), or by indirect heating byimmersing in hot water.

After the cap 10 is thawed, the shell 12 is still solid and notliquefied, while the sealant 118 is liquefied and exhibits its originalfluidity.

Thereafter, in step S24 (or concurrently with the thawing of step S23),the product kit 124 is dried using a dryer (not shown), to therebyremove any condensation that has formed on the surface of the cap 10 dueto the thawing. The dryer can be configured, for example, to blow aironto the cap 10 at room temperature or hot air, to thereby blow offand/or evaporate any water on the surface of the cap 10.

Subsequently, in step S25, the product kit 124 is removed from thethawing area or the drying section, and the removed product kit 124 istransported to the worksite, e.g., using a handcart 126 as illustratedin FIG. 12A. Thereafter, in step S26, as illustrated in FIG. 12B, onecap 10, which will be used now and which is filled with the sealant 118,is removed from the pallet 122 and attached to an exposed portion of thebolt 22 that projects from the surface of the panel member 20.

At this time, the cap 10 is solid while the sealant 118 within the cap10 is fluid, which enables the cap 10 to be attached to the bolt 22. Thesealant 118 deforms relatively freely so as to fill in any possible gapsbetween the cap 10 and the bolt 22, without leaving any gaps. As aresult, a seal between the cap 10 and the bolt 22 is achieved. Withthat, this cap attaching method is completed.

As will be evident from the foregoing explanation, in the presentembodiment, the first half of step S4 depicted in FIG. 2, which isperformed to extrude the liquid mixture from the syringe 98 and fill thefemale mold 102 with the extruded material, constitutes onerepresentative, non-limiting example of the “filling” set forth in theabove-described mode (1). The last half of step S4 depicted in the samefigure, which is performed to rotate/orbit the female mold 102 filledwith the liquid mixture using the mixer 40, and step S5 depicted in thesame figure together constitute one representative, non-limiting exampleof the “agitating/degassing” set forth in the same mode. Step S7depicted in the same figure constitutes one representative, non-limitingexample of the “curing” set forth in the same mode.

Further, in the present embodiment, the last half of step S4 depicted inFIG. 2, which is performed to rotate/orbit the female mold 102 filledwith the liquid mixture using the mixer 40, constitutes onerepresentative, non-limiting example of the “primary agitating/degassingsub-step” set forth in the aforementioned mode (3). The first half ofstep S5 depicted in the same figure, which is performed to assemble themold unit 100, constitutes one representative, non-limiting example ofthe “assembling sub-step” set forth in the same mode. Finally, the lasthalf of step S5 depicted in the same figure, which is performed torotate/orbit the assembled mold unit 100 using the mixer 40, constitutesone representative, non-limiting example of the “mainagitating/degassing sub-step” set forth in the same mode.

Next, a cap molding method according to a second embodiment of thepresent teachings will be described. The present embodiment, however, issimilar to the first embodiment, except for step S3 depicted in FIG. 2.Therefore, the present embodiment will be described in detail withregard to only the elements that differ from those of the firstembodiment, while a redundant description of the elements common withthose of the first embodiment will be omitted.

In the first embodiment, while transferring the liquid mixture from thecontainer 30 to the syringe 98 as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the container30 is held in space with the chamber 34 facing upward and with thedischarge passage 36 facing downwardly. In this orientation, the pusher98 a is moved downward within the chamber 34. As a result, the liquidmixture is extruded downwardly from the chamber 34.

Further, in the first embodiment, while transferring the liquid mixturefrom the container 30 to the syringe 98, the syringe 98 is held in spacewith its base end facing upward and with its tip end facing downward. Inthis orientation, when downwardly extruded from the container 30, theliquid mixture is injected into the syringe 98 via its base end.

In contrast, in the present embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 14, whiletransferring the liquid mixture from the container 30 to the syringe 98,the container 30 is first held in space, similar to the firstembodiment, with the chamber 34 facing upward and with the dischargepassage 36 facing downward. In this orientation, the opening of thechamber 34 is blocked or sealed by the pusher 98 a. As a result, even ifthe container 30 is inverted, material from the container 30 will notleak from the opening of the chamber 34 due to gravity.

Thereafter, the container 30 is inverted from the original orientation,and as a result, the container 30 is held in space with the dischargepassage 36 facing upward and with the chamber 34 facing downward.Subsequently, the syringe 98 is held in space with its base end facingupward with its tip end facing downward, and with the tip end and theoutlet of the discharge passage 36 coinciding with each other.

In this orientation, the pusher 98 a is moved upwardly within thechamber 34. As a result, the liquid mixture is extruded upwardly fromthe chamber 34. When upwardly extruded from the container 30, the liquidmixture is injected into the syringe 98 not via its base end, but rathervia its tip end.

Thereafter, the liquid mixture moves upwardly within the syringe 98while displacing air within the syringe 98 and discharging the air fromthe opening of the base end of the syringe 98 (less prone to impede thedischarge of air due to the larger diameter than the opening of the tipend). As a result, the liquid mixture increasingly accumulates in thesyringe 98, such that the uppermost level of the liquid mixture rises inthe direction from the tip end to the base end.

Thus, in the present embodiment, when the liquid mixture is injectedinto the syringe 98, because it is injected via the tip end of thesyringe 98, it is completed without compressing air within the syringe98, as opposed to when it is injected from the base end. As a result,when the liquid mixture is injected into the syringe 98, it is lesslikely that air bubbles will be trapped in the liquid mixture within thesyringe 98, than when the liquid mixture is injected via the base end ofthe syringe 98.

Next, a cap molding method according to a third embodiment of thepresent teachings will be described. The present embodiment, however, issimilar to the first embodiment, except for a particular portion of themolding method, the structure of the mold unit, and the speed controlfor the mixer. Therefore, the present embodiment will be described indetail with regard to only the elements that differ from those of thefirst embodiment, while a redundant description of the elements commonwith those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

In the first embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 8, only thefemale mold 102, which has been filled with the liquid mixture, isrotated/orbited using the mixer 40 in step S4 prior to assembling themold unit 100, and then the mold unit 100 is assembled in step S5. Theassembled mold unit 100 is then rotated/orbited using the mixer 40.

In contrast, in the present embodiment, step S4 is omitted; instead,step S5 includes a mold-closing prevention period in a first halfthereof and includes a mold-closing permissible period in a last halfthereof. In other words, in the present embodiment, although it will befurther explained below with reference to FIG. 21, theagitating/degassing process is performed such that it has a mold-closingprevention period and a mold-closing permissible period.

During the mold-closing prevention period, while the male mold in theassembled mold unit is prevented from being closely engaged with thefemale mold, the liquid mixture within the female mold isagitated/degassed. In contrast, during the mold-closing permissibleperiod, the male mold is permitted to be closely engaged with the femalemold, and after the engagement, the liquid mixture is agitated/degassedwithin the narrow cavity defined by the male and female molds that areengaged with each other.

FIG. 15 illustrates a mold unit 140 for use in performing theabove-described agitating/degassing process in an exploded view and anassembled view, both of which are viewed from the front.

Similar to the mold unit 100 depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7, the mold unit140 has a female mold 142 and a male mold 144, each of which has acylindrical outer circumferential surface. The female mold 142 and themale mold 144 together define a cavity. Both of the female mold 142 andthe male mold 144 are primarily comprised of POM (polyacetal), which isan example of an excellent self-lubricating engineering plastic.However, a portion of each of the female mold 142 and the male mold 144,which contact each, is preferably made of PTFE (Teflon®).

The mold unit 140 further includes a guide cup 150 (a first cylindricalmember), a spacer 152 and a mold-attachment cup 154 (a secondcylindrical member having a larger diameter than the first cylindricalmember).

The guide cup 150, which has a hollow cylinder shape with a bottom,includes a cylindrical section 156 and a bottom section 158 thatencloses one of the two ends of the cylindrical section 156. The femalemold 142 fits within the guide cup 150, contacts the bottom section 158and is detachably attached to an inner circumferential surface of theguide cup 150, such that the female mold 142, after being attached, isrigidly affixed to the inner circumferential surface of the guide cup150 with axial and rotational relative-movement inhibited. The guide cup150 is made, e.g., of POM.

The spacer 152 also has a hollow cylinder shape with a bottom; the guidecup 150 slidably fits within the spacer 152 along its innercircumferential surface and is detachably attached to the innercircumferential surface of the spacer 152, such that the guide cup 150,after being attached, is rigidly affixed to the inner circumferentialsurface of the spacer 152 with axial and rotational relative-movementinhibited.

The mold-attachment cup 154 also has a hollow cylinder shape with abottom; the spacer 152 slidably fits within the mold-attachment cup 154along its inner circumferential surface and is detachably attached tothe inner circumferential surface of the mold-attachment cup 154, suchthat the spacer 152, after being attached, is rigidly affixed to theinner circumferential surface of the mold-attachment cup 154 with axialand rotational relative-movement inhibited.

The mold-attachment cup 154 fits into the container holder 56 withoutany noticeable play and is detachably attached to the innercircumferential surface of the container holder 56, such that themold-attachment cup 154, after being attached, is rigidly affixed to theinner circumferential surface of the container holder 56 with axial androtational relative-movement inhibited.

Both the female mold 142 and the male mold 144 are fitted within theinner circumferential surface of the guide cup 150. The female mold 142is rigidly affixed to the guide cup 150, such that the female mold 142will always integrally rotate/orbit with the guide cup 150. In contrast,the male mold 144 fits in the guide cup 150 so as to be axially androtatably movable relative to the guide cup 150. As a result, the malemold 144 can move axially towards and away from the female mold 142while being guided by the inner circumferential surface of the guide cup150. The movement of the male mold 144 relative to the female mold 142is limited by cooperative action of guide pins and elongated guide holesthat are fitted with each other, as will be described below.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, while the mold unit 140 is orbiting about theorbital axis, it is also rotated about the rotational axis, which ispositioned eccentric from the orbital axis and which is tilted relativeto the orbital axis.

As illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 17, a plurality of radially-extendingguide pins 160 are attached to the male mold 144. In the exampledepicted in FIGS. 15 and 17, two guide pins 160 are aligned in adiametrically opposed manner.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, a plurality of elongated guide holes(alternatively, guide grooves) 162 are formed in the cylindrical section156 of the guide cup 150 so as to extend from a top end of thecylindrical section 156. Each guide pin 160 is engaged with oneelongated guide hole 162 so as to be movable relative to the elongatedguide hole 162 along the length thereof. The width of each guideelongated hole 162 is set to be larger than the diameter of each guidepin 160.

As illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 17, each elongated guide hole 162includes a first portion 170 extending axially (downwardly) from the topend of the cylindrical section 156, a second portion 172 extending inthe circumferential direction from a terminal end of the first portion170, a third portion 174 extending obliquely downwardly from a terminalend of the second portion 172 and a fourth portion 176 extending axially(downwardly) from a terminal end of the third portion 174.

As described above, the male mold 144 is axially and rotatably movablerelative to the guide cup 150, but a path along which the male mold 144can move is defined by the cooperative action of the guide pins 160 andthe elongated guide holes 162. In addition, relative displacement(including relative rotation and relative linear motion) between themale mold 144 and the guide cup 150 generates relative movement betweenthe male mold 144 and the female mold 142.

Briefly explained, the relative displacement between the male mold 144and the guide cup 150 is generated based on the inertial force(primarily the direction thereof (from among the magnitude and thedirection of the inertial force)) applied to the rotational direction ofthe male mold 144 and the axial component (magnitude) of the centrifugalforce acting on the male mold 144.

While the mixer 40 is inactive, each guide pin 160 is located in itsinitial state at the terminal end (the lowest position) of the firstportion 170 as illustrated in FIG. 17, due to gravity acting on the malemold 144.

In FIG. 20A, an example of a speed-time profile of the speed (i.e., atleast the rotational speed from among the rotational speed and theorbiting speed) imparted to the mold unit 140 by the mixer 40 isillustrated by a graph.

In the example depicted in FIG. 20A, the speed change profile is thesame for the rotational speed (the frequency of rotations) and theorbiting speed (the frequency of rotations) of the mold unit 140, butdiffers in magnitude. During operation of the mixer 40, the rotationaldirection of the mold unit 140 constantly matches the direction from thefirst portion 170 to the fourth portion 176 of each elongated guide hole162 formed in the cylindrical section 156 of the guide cup 150, asillustrated in FIG. 17.

Further, in the example depicted in FIG. 20A, one cycle of speed controlincludes a first rapid-acceleration interval A, a second constant-speedinterval B, a third rapid deceleration interval C, a fourthgradual-acceleration interval D, a fifth rapid acceleration interval E,a sixth constant-speed interval F and a seventh gradual-decelerationinterval G.

During the first rapid-acceleration interval A, the motor 50 is drivenin the rapid acceleration mode, to thereby accelerate the female mold142 in the rotational direction. As a result of this, as illustrated inFIG. 17, an inertial force acts on the male mold 144 in the oppositedirection of the direction that the second portion 172 extends out fromthe terminal end (the lowest position) of the first portion 170(opposite to the rotational direction of the female mold 142). As aresult, the guide pins 160 are pressed against the side wall of thefirst portions 170 in the initial position depicted in FIG. 17.

During the second constant-speed interval B, the motor 50 is driven inthe constant speed mode, to thereby rotate and orbit both of the femalemold 142 and the male mold 144 at a constant speed. During this time,the guide pins 160 are held in the initial position depicted in FIG. 17.At this point in time, because the male mold 144 is not yet closelyengaged with the female mold 142, the liquid mixture within the femalemold 142, despite having a high viscosity, is efficientlyagitated/degassed in a state of being highly fluid. During this secondconstant-speed interval B, the liquid mixture is urged to completelyfill, cover and/or coat the surface of the female mold 142.

During the third rapid-deceleration interval C, the brake 94 isactivated with the motor 50 powered off, to thereby decelerate thefemale mold 142 in the rotational direction. As a result of this, asillustrated in FIG. 18, an inertial force acts on the male mold 144 inthe same direction as the direction that the second portion 172 extendsout from the terminal end (the lowest position) of the first portion 170(the same direction as the rotation directional of the female mold 142).As a result, the guide pins 160 move away from the initial positiondepicted in FIG. 17, and towards the terminal end of the second portion172 (the rightmost position), to thereby allow or enable the male mold144 to rotate coaxially relative to the female mold 142.

If the inertial force continuously acts on the male mold 144 in the samedirection, the guide pins 160 will move from the terminal end (therightmost position) of the second portion 172 shown in FIG. 18 into thethird portion 174 and then along the third portion 174. The thirdportion 174 is inclined relative to the circumferential direction of themale mold 144. Therefore, the male mold 144 moves axially and graduallyapproaches the female mold 142. The guide pins 160 eventually reach theterminal end (the rightmost position) of the third portion 174.

In the present embodiment, the third portion 174 is inclined downwardlyrelative to the circumferential direction of the male mold 144. For thisreason, as compared to an embodiment in which the third portion 174 isnot inclined, the guide pins 160 are less likely to move back along thethird portion 174 against gravity in an undesired manner.

During the fourth gradual-acceleration interval D, the motor 50 isdriven in the gradual acceleration mode with the guide pins 160positioned at the fourth portion 176, to thereby accelerate the malemold 144 in the orbital direction. As a result, the male mold 144 issubjected to a centrifugal force that increases over time. Because thecenterline (i.e., the rotational axis) of the male mold 144 is inclinedrelative to the orbital axis, the geometry of the system results in thatthe overall centrifugal force contains an axial component (hereinafter,referred to as “axial centrifugal force”) and a radial component. Theaxial centrifugal force acts on the male mold 144 in the direction (i.e.the downward direction) that causes the male mold 144 to move towardsthe female mold 142. As a result, the guide pins 160 descend along thefourth portion 176 and move towards the female mold 142 as illustratedin FIG. 19. As will be discussed below, the overall centrifugal forcecan be decomposed or resolved into its respective axial and radialcomponents by one or more structural features (e.g., a slanted surface)of the system so that, e.g., only the axial centrifugal force is appliedto a particular structural element.

During this fourth gradual-acceleration interval D, the axialcentrifugal force acting on the male mold 144 increases at a moregradual gradient than when the motor 50 is driven in the rapidacceleration mode. Therefore, the male mold 144 approaches the femalemold 142 at a low speed. Thus, the male mold 144 is prevented fromrushing into the liquid mixture within the female mold 142 at too highof a speed, which could undesirably incorporate or entrain air into theliquid mixture.

As illustrated in FIG. 19, if the axial centrifugal force continuouslyacts on the male mold 144, a stop 180 disposed on a forward facingsurface of the male mold 144 will eventually abut on an abutment surface182 disposed on a rearward facing surface of the female mold 142,whereby the male mold 144 reaches its proximal limit to the female mold142. As a result, the male mold 144 is brought into close engagementwith the female mold 142.

During the fifth rapid-acceleration interval E, the motor 50 is drivenin the rapid acceleration mode, to thereby rapidly accelerate the moldunit 140 in both the rotational direction and the orbital direction (ata steeper gradient than the preceding fourth gradual-accelerationinterval E).

During the sixth constant-speed interval F, the motor 50 is driven inthe constant speed mode, to thereby rotate/orbit the female mold 142 andthe male mold 144 together at a constant speed. As a result, the liquidmixture within the narrow cavity, which is defined by the female mold142 and the male mold 144, is agitated/degassed in a partial vacuum.During this sixth constant-speed interval F, the liquid mixture is alsourged to completely fill, coat or cover the surface(s) of the femalemold 142 and the male mold 144.

During the seventh gradual-deceleration interval G, the motor 50 isdriven in the deceleration mode, to thereby decelerate the female mold142 and the male mold 144 together in both the rotational direction andthe orbital direction. During this seventh gradual-deceleration intervalG, a more gradual speed gradient is realized than the thirdrapid-deceleration interval C, because the brake 94 is not actuated.Eventually, the female mold 142 and the male mold 144 will stop moving.

The agitating/degassing process according to the present embodiment willnow be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 21.

This agitating/degassing process begins with step S31, in which the malemold 144 is attached to the female mold 142 that has been filled withthe liquid mixture as illustrated in FIG. 15, such that, although thefemale mold 142 and the male mold 144 are movable towards each other,the female mold 142 and the male mold 144 are spaced apart from eachother (see FIG. 8A), to thereby perform the assembly process ofassembling the mold unit 140.

Next, in step S32, a disposing process is performed such that theassembled mold unit 140 is disposed in the mixer 40 as illustrated inthe center drawing of FIG. 8B.

Subsequently, in step S33, a prevention process is initiated when themixer 40 is actuated and is performed during the mold-closing preventionperiod. The prevention processes prevents the male mold 144 from movingtowards the female mold 142 and from bringing the male mold 144 intoclose engagement with the female mold 142 due to the centrifugal forcegenerated by the orbiting of the mold unit 140. In the presentembodiment, the mold-closing prevention period is defined as includingthe first rapid-acceleration interval A, the second constant-speedinterval B and the third rapid-deceleration interval C as illustrated inFIG. 20A.

In parallel with the above-described step S33, a firstagitating/degassing process is performed during the mold-closingprevention period in step S34, such that the liquid mixture isagitated/degassed within the female mold 142 using the mixer 40 whilethe male mold 144 is disengaged from the female mold 142.

Subsequently, in step S35, a permitting process is performed during themold-closing permissible period, which follows the mold-closingprevention period, while the mixer 40 is operating. This permittingprocess permits the male mold 144 to move towards the female mold 142 tobring the male mold 144 into close engagement with the female mold 142due to the centrifugal force acting on the male mold 144. In the presentembodiment, the mold-closing permission period is defined as includingthe fourth gradual-acceleration interval D, the fifth rapid-accelerationinterval E, the sixth constant-speed interval F and the seventhgradual-deceleration interval G, as illustrated in FIG. 20A.

In parallel with the above-described step S35, a subsequentagitating/degassing process is performed in step S36 during themold-closing permission period, while the male mold 144 is closelyengaged with the female mold 142. In the subsequent agitating/degassingprocess, the liquid mixture is agitated/degassed within the cavity ofthe mold unit 140 using the mixer 40.

In the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B, prior toperforming the process (i.e., step S5 depicted in FIG. 2) ofagitating/degassing the liquid mixture by rotating/orbiting the entiremold unit 100, which has the cavity 110 filled with the liquid mixture,using the mixer 40, the process (i.e., step S4 depicted in FIG. 2) ofagitating/degassing the liquid mixture is performed by rotating/orbitingonly the female mold 102, which has been filled with the liquid mixture,using the mixer 40. Thus, the agitation/degassing of the liquid mixturewithin the female mold 102 using the mixer 40 is carried out in twosub-periods.

Because the agitating/degassing of step S5 is performed while the liquidmixture is confined within the narrow cavity 110 in a state of lowfluidity, step S4 is performed prior to step S5, in order toagitate/degas the liquid mixture while the liquid mixture is notconfined within the female mold 102 and is in a state of high fluidity.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, step S4 is omitted andstep S5 is performed such that both a first or preliminary process ofagitating/degassing the liquid mixture while the male mold 144 isdisengaged from the female mold 142 and a main or subsequent process ofagitating/degassing the liquid mixture while the male mold 144 isengaged with the female mold 142 are performed during a continuousoperation of the mixer 40.

Therefore, the present embodiment provides the possibility ofagitating/degassing the liquid mixture within the female mold 142without interrupting the mixer 40, resulting in an improvement in theagitating/degassing efficiency, a reduction in the time required to moldthe cap 10 and an improvement in the manufacturing efficiency of the cap10.

In FIG. 20B, an example of a modified version of the example of thespeed/time chart depicted in FIG. 20A (hereinafter, referred to as “thefirst example”) is illustrated with a graph.

The speed/time chart in the example depicted in FIG. 20B (hereinafter,referred to as “the second example”) shares the same basic speed profileas the speed/time chart in the first example.

More specifically, in this second example, the motor 50 is driven in therapid acceleration mode during the first rapid-acceleration interval A.The motor 50 is driven in the constant speed mode during the secondconstant-speed interval B and during the sixth constant-speed intervalF. The motor 50 is driven in the deceleration mode during the seventhgradual-deceleration interval G.

This second example is similar to the first example, except for thethird rapid-deceleration interval C that employs, as an alternativeinterval, a series of a deceleration interval C1, in which the motor 50is driven in the deceleration mode without actuating the brake 94, and adeceleration interval C2, in which the brake 94 is actuated.

In this second example, differently from the first example, the motor 50is current-controlled (electronic braking) during the first decelerationinterval C1, to thereby reduce the rotational speed and the orbitingspeed to sufficiently close to zero without relying on the brake 94.During the subsequent deceleration interval C2, the brake 94 is actuatedto thereby impart an inertial (mechanical braking) force to therotational direction of the male mold 144. In this second example,because the speed of the rotatable frame 54 when the brake 94 beginsoperation is less than in the first example, the load on the brake 94and the motor 50 is reduced.

Further, in this second example, a series of three constant-speedintervals D1, D2 and D3 interleaved with three rapid-accelerationintervals E1, E2 and E3 are used as intervals corresponding to theseries of the fourth gradual-acceleration interval D and the fifthrapid-acceleration interval E, as described in the first example. Duringeach of the constant-speed intervals D1, D2 and D3, the motor 50 isdriven in the constant speed mode, while during each of therapid-acceleration intervals E1, E2 and E3, the motor 50 is driven inthe rapid acceleration mode.

In this second example, by interleaving or alternating the constantspeed modes with the rapid acceleration modes, the male mold 144 willexperience a lesser centrifugal force than an alternative that utilizesa continuous rapid acceleration mode. As a result, when the male mold144 is approaching the female mold 142 due to the centrifugal forceacting on the male mold 144 and the guide pins 160 are descending intothe fourth portion 176, as illustrated in FIG. 19, this descending speedis reduced. Therefore, this second example, like the first example,prevents the male mold 144 from rushing into the liquid mixture withinthe female mold 142 at too high of a speed, which could undesirablyincorporate or entrain air into the liquid mixture.

It is noted that, in the present embodiment, the brake 94 generates theinertial force required for moving the guide pins 160 from a lockedposition, which prevents the male mold 144 from approaching the femalemold 142, to an unlocked position that permits this approachingmovement. On the other hand, in case the required inertial force can begenerated using only the current control (electronic braking) of themotor 50, it is not necessary to operate the brake 94.

Next, a cap molding method according to a fourth embodiment of thepresent teachings will be described. The present embodiment, however, issimilar to the third embodiment, except for the structure of the moldunit and the speed control for the mixer. Therefore, the presentembodiment will be described in detail with regard to only the elementsthat differ from those of the third embodiment, while a redundantdescription of the elements common with those of the third embodimentwill be omitted.

In the third embodiment, as described above, the mold unit 140 isconfigured to include the guide pins 160 (each is an example of the“first member” set forth in the above mode (5)), which integrally movewith the male mold 144, and the elongated guide holes 162 (each is anexample of the “second member” set forth in the same mode), whichintegrally move with the female mold 142. The guide pins 160 move alongthe elongated guide holes 162, each having a predetermined path, due tothe cooperative action of the inertial force, which that acts on themale mold 144 in the rotational direction of the male mold 144 becauseof its rotation and which varies over time at least in the direction ofthe force, and the axial centrifugal force, which acts on the male mold144 because of its orbiting and which varies over time in the magnitudeof the force. As a result, the operational state of the male mold 144 isswitched between a state, in which the male mold 144 is prevented fromclosely engaging with the female mold 142, and a state, in which themale mold 144 is permitted to closely engage the female mold 142.

Thus, in the third embodiment, the relative motion between the guidepins 160 and the elongated guide holes 162 takes place without using anyadditional intervening movable-members, thereby making it easy to reducethe total part count.

In contrast, in the present embodiment, the relative motion between theguide pins 160 and guide grooves takes place using an additionalintervening movable-member, in order to improve its stability and tosimplify the design. Further, in the present embodiment, the speedcontrol for the mixer 40 is performed, not using the brake 94, butrather using current control for the motor 50.

FIG. 22A illustrates in a plan view a mold unit 200 for use inperforming the cap molding method according to the present embodiment.This mold unit 200 is similar in basic configuration to the mold unit140 according to the third embodiment depicted in FIG. 17; therefore,this mold unit 200 will be described below with duplicative descriptionomitted. While the mold unit 140, as illustrated in FIG. 17, includesthe guide cup 150 and the spacer 152, the mold unit 200 according to thepresent embodiment replaces the guide cup 150 and the spacer 152 with aguide cup 210 and a movable member 212.

FIG. 22A illustrates in a plan view only the assembly of the guide cup210 and the movable member 212, extracted from the mold unit 200, whileFIG. 22B illustrates the assembly in a side cross-sectional-view.

As illustrated in FIG. 22B, the guide cup 210 includes a bottom section222, which forms generally a circular plate shape. A lower flange 224extends radially outwardly from the bottom section 222. The guide cup210 further includes a cylindrical section 226 that extends coaxiallywith and vertically from the bottom section 222. Through-holes 227serving as airflow holes are formed in the cylindrical section 226. Athrough-hole 228 serving as an airflow hole is formed in the bottomsection 222. Notches 230 are formed on an outer circumferential edge ofthe lower flange 224 through the thickness of the lower flange 224, andare located at circumferentially spaced apart positions. Each notch 230serves as an airflow hole. One representative, non-limiting example of amaterial that may be used to form the guide cup 210 is POM.

Similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17, the outercircumferential surface of the female mold 142 fits in the innercircumferential surface of the cylindrical section 226. The female mold142 is rigidly affixed to the guide cup 210 with the female mold 142contacting the bottom section 222. On the other hand, the outercircumferential surface of the lower flange 224 fits in the innercircumferential surface of the mold-attachment cup 154 depicted in FIG.17. The guide cup 210 is rigidly affixed to the mold-attachment cup 154with the guide cup 210 contacting the bottom section of themold-attachment cup 154.

Similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17, the outercircumferential surface of the male mold 144 fits in the innercircumferential surface of the cylindrical section 226, so that the malemold 144 is coaxially movable and rotatable relative to the cylindricalsection 226. The motion of the male mold 144 relative to the guide cup210 (in addition, the female mold 142 is rigidly affixed to the guidecup 210), however, is limited due to the cooperative action of the guidepins 160 of the male mold 144 (see FIG. 17) and first guide grooves 232formed in the cylindrical section 226. As illustrated in FIG. 22B, eachfirst guide groove 232 extends generally axially from an uppermostsurface of the cylindrical section 226 towards the bottom section 222.Each first guide groove 232 is open at the uppermost surface of thecylindrical section 226.

As illustrated with enlargement in FIG. 24, the bottom surface of eachfirst guide groove 232 includes a first section 240, a second section242, a third section 244 and a fourth section 246. The first and fourthsections 240 and 246 each comprise a downwardly convex arc shape that ispartially complementary to the outer circumferential surface of therespective guide pin 160.

In particular, the first section 240 plays an important role inpreventing the male mold 144 from engaging with the female mold 142,while the fourth section 246 plays an important role in permitting themale mold 144 to engage with the female mold 142. For this reason, thefourth section 246 is closer in position to the female mold 142 than thefirst section 240.

The second section 242 extends obliquely and has a straight segment thatinterconnects the first section 240 with an upper end of the thirdsection 244. The second section 242 has a slanted surface that contactsthe guide pin 160 (an example of the aforementioned “second slantedsurface”). This slanted surface functions to decompose or separate theaxial centrifugal force (the downward force) acting on the male mold 144during its orbiting by the mixer 40, to thereby convert the axialcentrifugal force into a rotational force acting on the male mold 144(i.e. only the force component from the axial centrifugal force thatacts in the rotational direction is applied to the male mold 144). Thissecond section 242 is inclined, relative to an imaginary straight lineextending from the first section 240 in the circumferential direction ofthe cylindrical section 226, in a direction that extends towards thefourth section 246. The third section 244 is a straight segment thatextends vertically from the fourth section 246 in a direction extendingaway from the female mold 142.

As illustrated in FIG. 22B, the movable member 212 has a cylindricalsection 250 and an upper flange 252 that extends radially outwardly froma bottom of the cylindrical section 250. Notches 254 are formed on theouter circumferential edge of the upper flange 252 through the thicknessof the upper flange 252, and are located at circumferentially spacedapart positions. Each notch 254 serves as an airflow hole. The outercircumferential surface of the upper flange 252 fits in the innercircumferential surface of the mold-attachment cup 154 depicted in FIG.17, so that the upper flange 252 is axially movable and coaxiallyrotatable relative to the mold-attachment cup 154.

The upper flange 252 is located above the lower flange 224. The upperflange 252 and the lower flange 224 cooperate to provide the samefunction as the spacer 152 depicted in FIG. 17.

As illustrated in FIG. 22B, the outer circumferential surface of thecylindrical section 226 of the guide cup 210 fits in the innercircumferential surface of the cylindrical section 250 of the movablemember 212, so that the guide cup 210 is axially movable and coaxiallyrotatable relative to the movable member 212. The guide cup 210 acts asa stationary member relative to the movable member 212. Onerepresentative, non-limiting example of a material that may be used toform the movable member 212 is POM.

The possible range of motion of the movable member 212 relative to theguide cup 210, however, is limited as illustrated in FIG. 22C, due tothe cooperative action of second guide grooves 260 (in the presentembodiment, there are two that are diametrically opposed to each other),which are formed through the thickness of the cylindrical section 226,and radially-extending guide pins 262 (in the present embodiment, thereare two that are diametrically opposed to each other) that are rigidlyaffixed to the cylindrical section 250 of the movable member 212.

As illustrated in FIG. 22C, each second guide groove 260 is generallyV-shaped as a whole. FIG. 22C illustrates one of the second guidegrooves 260 as viewed from the outside of the guide cup 210 in theradial direction. In addition, FIG. 22B illustrates one of the firstguide grooves 232 as viewed from the inside of the guide cup 210 in theradial direction. FIGS. 23-26 each illustrate one first guide groove 232and one second guide groove 260 as viewed from the inside of the guidecup 210 in the radial direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 23, the guide pin 262 (or the movable member212), which slidably fits in the second guide groove 260, is movablerelative to the second guide groove 260 (or the guide cup 210). Becausethe second guide groove 260 has a closed groove shape, the second guidegroove 260 and the guide pin 262 cooperate to limit the motion of themovable member 212 relative to the guide cup 210, not only axially butalso rotationally.

As illustrated with enlargement in FIG. 23, the second guide groove 260includes a first section 270, which is a straight segment obliquely anddownwardly extending from an upper end thereof, a second section 272vertically extending from a lower end of the first section 270, and athird section 274, which is a straight segment obliquely and upwardlyextending from an upper end of the second section 272.

The first section 270 approximates (i.e. it is substantially identicalto) the overall shape of the second guide groove 260 and corresponds toone of two arms of the letter “V”, while the third section 274corresponds to the other arm. The second section 272 connects the firstsection 270 with the third section 274. The first through third sections270, 272 and 274 are arranged in order in one rotational direction ofthe guide cup 210. The upper end of the third section 274 is higher thanthe upper end of the first section 270.

The first section 270 decomposes or separates a downward force acting onthe movable member 212 (i.e., the magnitude of the axial centrifugalforce acting on the movable member 212 due to the orbiting minus theelastic force of a spring 280). The first section 270 has a slantedsurface (the lower surface of the first section 270; one example of theaforementioned “first slanted surface”) that converts that portion orcomponent of the downward force into a rotational force acting on themovable member 212. The third section 274 decomposes or separates anupward force acting on the movable member 212 (i.e., the magnitude ofthe elastic force of the spring 280 minus the axial centrifugal force).The third section 274 has a slanted surface (the upper surface of thethird section 274; another example of the aforementioned “first slantedsurface”) that converts that portion or component of the upward forceinto a rotational force acting on the movable member 212. The rotationalforces generated by the first and third sections 270 and 274 both havethe same direction.

FIG. 23 indicates that the guide pin 262 is located at Position A, i.e.,the position of the upper end of the first section 270. FIG. 24indicates that the guide pin 262 is located at Position B (i.e., theposition of the lower stroke end of the movable member 212). That is, itis located at the position of the lower end of the first section 270.FIG. 25 indicates that the guide pin 262 is located at Position C, i.e.,the position of the upper end of the second section 272. FIG. 26indicates that the guide pin 262 is located at Position D, i.e., theposition of the upper end of the third section 274. FIG. 22B indicatesthat the guide pin 262 is located at Position D (i.e., the position ofthe upper stroke end of the movable member 212).

As illustrated in FIG. 22B, the spring 280, which has a coil shape andis an example of an elastic member according to the aforementionedmodes, is interposed between the guide cup 210 and the movable member212. In the present embodiment, the spring 280 is disposed so as tocoaxially extend along and surround the cylindrical section 226. Thebottom end of the spring 280 is supported on an upward surface of thelower flange 224 and the top end of the spring 280 is supported on adownward face of the upper flange 252 via the retainer 282. The spring280 is adapted or configured to always bias the movable member 212relative to the guide cup 210 in the direction that causes the movablemember 212 to move axially away from the guide cup 210. Limits in movingthe movable member 212 towards and away from the guide cup 210 varydepending on the rotational position of the guide pins 262 within andrelative to the second guide grooves 260, and thus, vary depending onthe rotational position of the movable member 212 relative to the guidecup 210.

As illustrated in FIG. 22B, engagement portions 290 are formed in thecylindrical section 226 of the movable member 212. Each engagementportion 290 moves integrally with the movable member 212 and, asillustrated in FIG. 23, changes the apparent or effective shape of thebottom of each first guide grooves 232 for the guide pin 160, to therebycontrol the position of each guide pin 160.

The initial position of each guide pin 262 is Position A depicted inFIG. 23. In this state, the mixer 40 starts the rotation/orbiting of themold unit 200. As a result, the axial centrifugal force acting on themovable member 212 increases from zero. When the axial centrifugal forceovercomes the preload of the spring 280 shown in FIG. 22B, the movablemember 212 descends while rotating in one direction due to the slantedsurface of the first section 270 of the second guide groove 260. As aresult, the guide pin 262 will move from Position A to Position B. FIG.22B illustrates in solid lines the spring 280 when situated in a fullyextended position (Position D of guide pin 262); FIG. 22B illustrates indotted lines the spring 280 when situated in a fully compressed position(Position B of guide pin 262).

Thereafter, when the orbiting speed of the mold unit 200 shifts from anincreasing phase (or a constant speed phase) to a decreasing phase, theaxial centrifugal force acting on the movable member 212 decreases,resulting in movement of each guide pin 262 from Position B to PositionC. Subsequently, the guide pin 262 ascends while rotating in the samedirection due to the slanted surface of the third section 274 of thesecond guide groove 260. As a result, guide pin 262 will move fromPosition C to Position D.

As illustrated in FIG. 23, each engagement portion 290 includes a firstsection 300 extending generally in parallel with the circumferentialdirection of the cylindrical section 226, a second section 302 extendingobliquely relative to the circumferential direction of the cylindricalsection 226 and a third section 304 that constitutes a notch (recess).

As illustrated in FIG. 23, when the guide pin 262 is in Position A, thefirst section 300 of each engagement portion 290 changes the apparent oreffective shape of the first section 240 of each first guide groove 232,so that the male mold 144 is more reliably prevented from being broughtinto close engagement with the female mold 142. More specifically, eachfirst section 300 lifts each guide pin 160 (the male mold 144).

Further, when each guide pin 262 is in Position A, the third section 304of each engagement portion 290 changes the apparent or effective shapeof the fourth section 246 of each first guide groove 232, so that themale mold 144 is more reliably prevented from being brought into closeengagement with the female mold 142. More specifically, the thirdsection 304 narrows the apparent or effective groove width of the thirdsection 244 of each first guide groove 232, to thereby prevent eachguide pin 160 from entering the third section 244, from becoming closerto the fourth section 246, and from bringing the male mold 144 intoclose engagement with the female mold 142.

As illustrated in FIG. 24, when the guide pin 262 is in Position B, eachengagement portion 290 descends to a lower position than in Position A,and rotates in the direction that allows each engagement portion 290 tomove towards the first section 240 of each first guide groove 232. Atthis time, the first section 300 of each engagement portion 290 permitseach guide pin 160 to be brought into contact with the first section 240of each first guide groove 232, and the third section 304 permits eachguide pin 160 to move downward along the third section 244 of each firstguide groove 232. The reason is that the third section 304 moves awayfrom the groove of each first guide groove 232 in the rotationaldirection, to thereby allow each guide pin 160 to enter the thirdsection 244 and become closer to the fourth section 246, and to therebyallow the male mold 144 to be brought into close engagement with thefemale mold 142.

At this stage, while it is possible that each guide pin 160 willovercome the protrusion of each first guide groove 232, which is locatedbetween the first section 240 and the second section 242, and the malemold 144 will be brought into close engagement with the female mold 142,it is also possible that each guide pin 160 cannot overcome theprotrusion and thus the male mold 144 will not be brought into closeengagement with the female mold 142.

As illustrated in FIG. 25, when the guide pin 160 is in Position C, eachengagement portion 290 ascends to a higher position than in Position B,and allows the protrusion of each engagement portion 290, which islocated between the first section 300 and the second section 302 to pushup each guide pin 160, to thereby help each guide pin 160 overcome theprotrusion of each first guide groove 232. At this stage, while it ispossible that the male mold 144 will be brought into close engagementwith the female mold 142, it is also possible that the male mold 144will not be brought into close engagement with the female mold 142.

As illustrated in FIG. 26, when each guide pin 262 is in Position D,each engagement portion 290 ascends to a higher position than inPosition C and rotates in the direction that allows each engagementportion 290 to move towards the first section 240 of each first guidegroove 232. During a transition period, in which the guide pin 262 movesfrom Position C to Position D, because the first section 300 and thesecond section 302 move away from the guide pin 160, the guide pin 160will be located in the space within the third section 304. As a result,before the point in time that the guide pin 262 reaches Position D, theguide pin 160 crosses the slanted surface of the second section 242 anddescends along the third section 244. At this time, the male mold 144moves due the axial centrifugal force and is brought into closeengagement with the female mold 142.

In FIG. 27A, an example of a profile of a time-varying orbiting speed ofthe mold unit 200, which is performed by controlling the mixer 40without using the brake 94, is illustrated by a graph.

As illustrated in FIG. 27A, during the period from time t0 to t1, theorbiting speed increases from zero, to thereby increase the axialcentrifugal force acting on the movable member 212. During this period,the orbiting speed reaches and then exceeds a threshold V0; until thepoint in time that the threshold V0 is reached, each guide pin 262 staysat Position A depicted in FIG. 23. When the orbiting speed exceeds thethreshold V0, the axial centrifugal force acting on the movable member212 overcomes the elastic force of the spring 280, whereby each guidepin 262 moves from Position A depicted in FIG. 23 to Position B depictedin FIG. 24.

During the subsequent period from time t1 to t2, the orbiting speeddecreases, to thereby decrease the axial centrifugal force acting on themovable member 212. During this period, when the elastic force of thespring 280 overcomes the axial centrifugal force acting on the movablemember 212, each guide pin 262 will move from Position B depicted inFIG. 24 to Position C depicted in FIG. 25, with subsequent movement ofeach guide pin 262 to Position D depicted in FIG. 26. Before each guidepin 262 reaches a position just before Position D, a close engagement ofthe male mold 144 in the female mold 142 remains prohibited; when eachguide pin 262 reaches the position just before Position D, the closeengagement of the male mold 144 becomes permitted.

Thereafter, the orbiting speed increases from time t2 to t3, theorbiting speed is kept unchanged from time t3 to t4 and the orbitingspeed decreases to zero from time t4 to t5. With that, one control cyclefor the orbiting speed is concluded.

In FIG. 27B, another example of a profile of a time-varying orbitingspeed of the mold unit 200, which is performed by controlling the mixer40 without using the brake 94, is illustrated by a graph.

As illustrated in FIG. 27B, during the period from time t0 to t1, theorbiting speed increases from zero, but fails to exceed the thresholdV0, resulting in each guide pin 262 staying in Position A. During thesubsequent period from t1 to t2, the orbiting speed is kept constant.During the further subsequent period from t2 to t3, the orbiting speedincreases again, and once the orbiting speed has exceeded the thresholdV0, the axial centrifugal force acting on the movable member 212overcomes the elastic force of the spring 280, whereby each guide pin262 moves from Position A to Position B.

During the subsequent period from time t3 to t4, the orbiting speeddecreases; once the elastic force of the spring 280 overcomes the axialcentrifugal force acting on the movable member 212, each guide pin 262moves from Position B to Position C, with subsequent movement of eachguide pin 262 to Position D. Before each guide pin 262 reaches aposition just before Position D, a close engagement of the male mold 144in the female mold 142 remains prohibited; when each guide pin 262reaches the position just before Position D, the close engagement of themale mold 144 becomes permitted.

Thereafter, the orbiting speed is kept constant from time t4 to t5 andthe orbiting speed decreases to zero from time t5 to t6. With that, onecontrol cycle for the orbiting speed is concluded.

In FIG. 28, still another example of a profile of a time-varyingorbiting speed of the mold unit 200, which is performed by controllingthe mixer 40 without using the brake 94, is illustrated in a graph. Inthis example, the threshold V0 is pre-set to a speed closer to zero thanthose of the two preceding examples.

As illustrated in FIG. 28, during the period from time t0 to t1, theorbiting speed increases from zero; once the orbiting speed has exceededthe threshold V0, the axial centrifugal force acting on the movablemember 212 overcomes the elastic force of the spring 280, whereby eachguide pin 262 moves from Position A to Position B. During the subsequentperiod from time t1 to t2, the orbiting speed is kept constant.

During a further subsequent period from time t2 to t3, the orbitingspeed decreases; once the elastic force of the spring 280 overcomes theaxial centrifugal force acting on the movable member 212, each guide pin262 moves from Position B to Position C, with subsequent movement ofeach guide pin 262 to Position D. Before each guide pin 262 reaches aposition just before Position D, a close engagement of the male mold 144in the female mold 142 remains prohibited; when each guide pin 262reaches the position just before Position D, the close engagement of themale mold 144 becomes permitted. In this example, the male mold 144 isbrought into close engagement with the female mold 142 more slowly thanin the two preceding examples, triggered by a lesser magnitude of theorbiting speed, or a lesser magnitude of the axial centrifugal forceacting on the male mold 144 than those of the preceding two examples.This prevents the male mold 144 from rushing into the liquid mixturewithin the female mold 142 at too high of a speed, which couldundesirably incorporate air into the liquid mixture.

During the subsequent period from time t3 to t4, the motor 50 is drivenby repeating the alternating runs of the acceleration modes and theconstant speed modes, to thereby increase the orbiting speed at a moregradual gradient than if the motor 50 were to be driven continuously inthe same acceleration mode. As a result, the axial centrifugal forceacting on the male mold 144 increases with a gradual gradient inaccordance therewith. This discontinuous acceleration profile is alsoconducive to preventing the introduction of air bubbles into the liquidmixture.

Thereafter, the orbiting speed is kept constant from time t4 to t5 andthe orbiting speed decreases to zero from time t5 to t6. With that, onecontrol cycle for the orbiting speed is concluded.

It is noted that, in the present embodiment, Positions B, C and D arenot collinear in each second guide groove 260, but, in an alternative,Positions B, C and D may be collinear in each second guide groove 260.The reason is that, when each guide pin 262 moves from Position A toPosition B, the third section 304 retracts in the rotational directionfrom the groove of the third section 244 of each first guide groove 232,to thereby permit each guide pin 160 to enter the third section 244 andmove towards the fourth section 246 and to thereby bring the male mold144 into close engagement with the female mold 142.

While several illustrative embodiments of the present teachings havebeen described above in detail with reference to the drawings, they arejust examples, and the present teachings may be embodied in alternativemodes, which begin with the modes described in the section titled“Summary,” or which are obtained by making various modifications andimprovements to the above-described embodiments, in view of theknowledge of those skilled in the art.

It is further noted that this detailed description is merely intended toteach a person of skill in the art further details for practicingpreferred aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limitthe scope of the invention. Furthermore, each of the additional featuresand teachings disclosed above may be utilized separately or inconjunction with other features and teachings to provide improved moldsand molding methods.

Moreover, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the abovedetail description may not be necessary to practice the invention in thebroadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describerepresentative examples of the invention. Furthermore, various featuresof the above-described representative examples, as well as the variousindependent and dependent claims below, may be combined in ways that arenot specifically and explicitly enumerated in order to provideadditional useful embodiments of the present teachings.

Finally, all features disclosed in the description and/or the claims areintended to be disclosed separately and independently from each otherfor the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for thepurpose of restricting the claimed subject matter, independent of thecompositions of the features in the embodiments and/or the claims. Inaddition, all value ranges or indications of groups of entities areintended to disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediateentity for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as forthe purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter.

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. A method of molding a product, comprising: (i)filling a synthetic resin material into a mold; and (ii) driving a mixerto subject the mold to a planetary motion, thereby agitating thesynthetic resin material while degassing it and generating anagitated/degassed synthetic resin material in the mold.
 22. The methodaccording to claim 21, further comprising curing the agitated/degassedsynthetic resin material within the mold to form the product.
 23. Themethod according to claim 21, further comprising prior to step (i):filling the synthetic resin material into a container; and driving themixer to subject the container to a planetary motion, thereby agitatingthe synthetic resin material while degassing it and generating anagitated/degassed synthetic resin material in the container, whereinstep (i) comprises injecting the agitated/degassed synthetic resinmaterial from the container into the mold.
 24. The method according toclaim 21, wherein the synthetic resin material is a liquid material. 25.The method according to claim 21, wherein: the planetary motioncomprises orbital movement of the mold around a orbital axis androtational movement of the mold about a rotational axix, and therotational axis is eccentric to the orbital axis.
 26. The methodaccording to claim 25, further comprising curing the agitated/degassedsynthetic resin material within the mold to form the product.
 27. Themethod according to claim 26, further comprising prior to step (i):filling the synthetic resin material into a container; and driving themixer to subject the container to a planetary motion, thereby agitatingthe synthetic resin material while degassing it and generating anagitated/degassed synthetic resin material in the container, whereinstep (i) comprises injecting the agitated/degassed synthetic resinmaterial from the container into the mold.
 28. The method according toclaim 27, wherein the synthetic resin material is a liquid material.